Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Israel's Deadly Appeasement Process

A very important point very well expressed

by Alex Epstein and Edward ClineAug 29, '05 / 24 Av 5765

The Israeli withdrawal from Gaza is being portrayed as a wise (albeit unpleasant) move by Ariel Sharon. By addressing a longtime grievance of the Palestinians and their supporters -- the presence of Israeli security forces and Jewish residents on the Gaza strip -- we are told, Israel will abate the hatred that drives so many Palestinians to terrorism.

In fact, the Gaza withdrawal is a deadly act of appeasement toward Israel's committed enemies: the Palestinian Authority (PA), its rabidly anti-Semitic Palestinian supporters and other Arab regimes throughout the Middle East. It will only increase their hope and ability to achieve their long-standing goal: the obliteration of Israel.

Contrary to their pronouncements to Western media that they seek peace with Israel via a "reasonable" land-for-peace "compromise", the PA and its supporters have proven by their actions -- and by repeated statements in Arabic -- that they seek to destroy Israel. Due to their racist, tribalist, primitive philosophy, much of the Arab world seeks the eradication of Jews -- and, more broadly, Western Civilization -- from the Middle East. In polls taken, 80 percent of Palestinians say they do not regard Israel as legitimate. As for Israel's other Arab neighbors, they have attempted to destroy Israel in three previous wars.

Why have those who seek Israel's annihilation turned from open warfare to the negotiating table? Because they have learned that this -- combined with terrorism -- is their most effective means of destroying Israel.

Observe what the absurdly named "peace process" has consisted of. The PA and its Arab neighbors deliberately keep the Palestinians in misery, indoctrinate them with anti-Semitism and sponsor terrorism against Israel. They then blame Israel's "occupation" of territories won in a war of self-defense (and crucial for Israel's security today) for the Palestinians' misery, and blame the Palestinians' misery for Palestinian terrorism. The solution, they convince Israel and the West, is more land, loot and power for the "downtrodden" Palestinians; money which the Palestinian leadership uses to fund still more attacks on Israel.

By relying on terror and unearned guilt, the enemies of Israel have been able to undermine Israel's security and moral confidence in a way they never could by direct attack.

Consider the recent history. In response to his long record of terrorizing Israel in the name of "Palestinian liberation", Yasser Arafat got recognition as the "legitimate representative" of the Palestinians. Under the Oslo Accords, he was given billions in cash and a vast arsenal of deadly weapons for "security forces" that he would use to oppress Palestinians and terrorize Israel. Unsurprisingly, terrorism coupled with blaming Israel, having been handsomely rewarded, increased dramatically. Then, in 2000, Arafat was offered unprecedented territorial concessions; figuring he could get more by terrorism, he rejected the proposal and launched a second Intifada. The resulting escalation of terrorism, along with Arab nations claiming that anti-American terrorism stems from sympathy for the mistreatment of Palestinians, led to a promise from President George Bush for a Palestinian state and endless calls for Israel to show "restraint" in the face of a terrorist onslaught.

Terrorize Israel and blame it for the misery you inflict on Palestinians, the Palestinian leadership has been taught, and you shall be rewarded. Now, further terrorism and Israel-bashing have gotten the PA an unconditional withdrawal from Gaza -- a crucial launching base for Arab wars of the past, and an easy means from which to further terrorize Israel. Smelling blood, Palestinians and their beloved terror organizations are already boasting: "Today Gaza, tomorrow Jerusalem."

Any further Palestinian terrorism, of course, will simply be blamed on Israel not conceding enough, and we will be told that peace can only be achieved if Israel takes more "risks for peace"; i.e., continues to give Palestinian murderers more resources with which to launch their aggression.

The only way to stop Palestinian terrorism is for Israel to identify the PA and its supporters as the evil they are and to righteously defeat them. Not only should Israel retain Gaza, it should destroy the Palestinian leadership and do anything else necessary to eradicate the hope that drives Palestinian terrorism -- the hope of Israel's destruction.

Then, and only then, will Israel be able to adopt a new slogan of its own: "Yesterday Palestinian terrorism, today Palestinian defeat."